Princess of Wales visits Coningsby as Royal Honorary Air Commodore

The Princess of Wales visited RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire on Thursday, marking her first official trip to the station since her appointment as Royal Honorary Air Commodore in 2023. Arriving by helicopter shortly after midday, she was taken by car to the base’s Quick Reaction Alert headquarters, where she received briefings, viewed aircraft and training facilities, and met serving personnel and their families.

Officials said the visit included an overview of RAF Coningsby’s recent operations, including deployments to Poland in support of NATO. The Princess was shown a Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon, the frontline fighter used to respond to potential airspace incursions, and toured the Typhoon Future Synthetic Training Facility, which uses integrated simulation and mission software to prepare pilots for complex exercises. She also spent time with Quick Reaction Alert teams responsible for the round-the-clock protection of UK airspace and visited a communal welfare space to hear from squadron members and families.

Her arrival at the base was recorded at about 12:25 p.m., with her entry to the QRA headquarters following soon after. Photographs and footage from the visit show her in...